The Popularity Game
by Rougeification
Summary: SYOC Hogwarts in 2015; a group of students find themselves facing different problems at different times, and for once, it has nothing to do with evil. A Slytherin girl struggling with her pure-blood family, a sixth year struggling with how others see her, a new Gryffindor who tries to learn more about himself or a popular leader who begins her spiral downwards, they all have issues
1. Strangers on the Train

**Okay guys - this is a new SYOC I'm starting - it's only based around a few characters. I'm only going to accept about 5 more people or so. I need people from mainly years 5-7 to be main characters. Anyway, here's a little taster - I only have 5 characters (including my own). So, this is going to be a very short Prologue.**

**Rosemarie Jane Fenwick - 6th Year Gryffindor**

"Rose, keep up!"

I muttered darkly under my breath as I followed Jacob through King's Cross; it was a mix of blue and grey as muggles rushed past me, dodging my trolley and siblings.

"You excited for this year Rose?" Dad asked me, helping me steer the trolley in a straight path, and away from the woman with a push-pram. Mouthing a 'sorry', I turned to my dad.

"Hardly." I huffed. "But next year I don't have to cope with _her_." I said, glaring daggers at Ana, who was being assisted with her trolley by mum.

"She didn't mean what she said." Dad re-assured me. "She's just upset about leaving this year. You'll be the same when you're her age."

"Doesn't change the fact she's still a big-headed bi-"

"Jake!" Dad turned around in surprise as he saw his third child approach with a trio of boys and their father. "You made it."

"You sound surprised." Jacob gave me a wink, then continued to move his trolley alongside mine as dad went to talk to the other man - Mr. Fitzgerald. "How was the car ride here?" He asked me.

"Ana-tagonistic." I raised an eyebrow. He grinned.

"Arguing with her again?" I nodded with a growl in Ana's direction. "Cheer up - we'll be back in school in no time and you won't even have to see her." I rolled my eyes - I knew he was right, but that time couldn't come quick enough.

"Yo, Jake! Jake!" Jacob turned around to see the Fitzgerald triplets sprint through the barrier, past the bustling crowds of Muggles. With a sigh, I broke into a run after Jacob and onto platform 9 3/4.

**Cordelia Caverly 5th Year Gryffindor**

"It looks like the mudbloods multiply every year." Mother said, eyeing another small pocket of parents in muggle attire, looking around the platform with anxiety. She eventually turned towards me with a sense of pleading in her eyes. "Won't you consider Beauxbatons? What about the Salem Witches' Institute?" I rolled my eyes.

"My friends are here." I stated. "Besides, I happen to like _muggle-borns_." Father let out a stifled chuckle as his flickered his eyes away from me. "And what's wrong with Muggles?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip.

"Nothing's _wrong_ with the muggles..." Father began.

"Right, so you just hate their children who can do magic?" I asked pointedly.

"We don't _hate_ their children sweetheart," My mother chimed in, looping her arm inside father's, "we just think that..." She was struggling to find the words. "You're a nice girl." She said eventually. "We just think you should stick to your own type of girls."

I couldn't help but grin at the joke - I hadn't told my parents yet, but to be honest, it was the better option. No doubt, they would want me to marry some pure-blood fanatic and bless him with another set of purebloods. Little did they know that that _really_ was not in the cards. At all.

I knew it wasn't a phase - I just happened to like girls. It wasn't something I chose, and to be honest, it wasn't so much of a big deal. I just... I liked girls.

My moment of thinking was interrupted as I was constricted in a snake-like hug from my mother.

"Have a good time sweetie. We'll see you at Christmas!"

"No... No thanks." I managed to wheeze out as I escaped her grip and sped onto the train without a second look back at my extremist parents.

**Charlotte Grace James - 6th Year Slytherin**

"Molly!" I called after the Ebony-speckled cat that sped down through the Gryffindor carriage. I cursed under my breath - Gryffindors didn't take kindly to Slytherins in their comparments... at least, that's what I'd have assumed.

Taking a second to armour myself with self-confidence, I made my way down the corridor, searching for Molly. I called for my cat again as I came upon another carriage, only to hear the rumble of the train respond. I sighed, hanging my head low and walking down the corridor, searching for Molly.

"I swear Molly, if you don't come right now, I'm going to... I'm going to think of something heinous to do to you..." I continued to mutter darkly under my breath as I peered into each compartment, my eyes searching for Molly. Eventually, I found a compartment of a couple of boys, one of whom was the only one in the carriage that wasn't glaring at me. Knocking on the door before I slid it open, I popped my head inside.

"Hey, you haven't seen a calico cat in here at all have you?" The boy shook his head while the others looked away from me.

"Nope... sorry." He said with a shrug. I sighed.

"I swear to God, Molly is always doing this - I got her in my first year you know," I moved inside the compartment, sitting down, "She used to be much worse than this - like, she'd scratch and bite anyone that came near her... well, anyone wearing anything yellow. Yeah, Molly just really hates the colour; Personally, I don't judge people based on what colours they like, I think it's just really arbitrary you know?"

"That's not really the right way to use 'arbritrar-"

"I'm Charlotte by the way. Charlie, actually. I prefer Charlie a lot more." I stopped, realising I was speaking at a million miles a minute again. "Sorry - I speak a lot." I said, closing my mouth firmly. The two boys refused to look at me, while the boy I was talking to simply smiled.

"It's fine." He waved his right hand before holding it out. "I'm Jack." I shook his hand.

"Cool! Wait..." I halted, hearing a distant hissing followed by a girl screaming. "That'll be Molly. It was nice to meet you Jack!" And with that, I jogged down the corridor to find Molly.

**Ardan Shay Lorkin - 6th Year**

This place was definitely going to be different to Kingsmont. Back there, it was a lot more... reserved. All the students there (who were exclusively boys) were pure-blood, brought up to be upstanding gentlemen of the wizarding society. Then there was me - the 'accidental student' as I had been labelled by the majority of boys there.

I paused my internal thoughts and looked down at the small silver ring on my third finger - upon the face of it sat the engraving of a head of a roaring lion, with teeth bared and a full mane of fair tussled. I grinned at the thought; my own tussled hair sat comfortably on my head.

The train shuddered, waking me from my contemplations. I rose up from my seat and moved towards the door, opening it and looking around. No one else had seemed concerned enough to exit their compartments and investigate as to the sound of the train.

As I turned around once more, I physically jumped as an ebony-speckled cat darted past my ankle. I turned around in an attempt to see where the cat had come from, only to be greeted by the sight of burgundy as I was tackled to the floor.

I hit my head hard, and let out a loud groan, as did my assailant. I pushed the slender body off of myself and began to push myself up and off the ground. Rubbing the back of my head, I examined the figure, who had risen as well; she was wearing a large, thick sweater over a loosely-fitting t-shirt, which she began to adjust. Her hair was a dark mahogany colour, waving it's way down to her shoulders. She was different to most of the girls I had seen at Doedale's (which was the only mixed school I had been to). For the first, she wasn't dressed in skimpy outfits, there was no scent of flowery perfume and her hair wasn't held in plaits or so much as combed - in fact, it seemed as if she had just got out of bed and thrown on the closest clothes. I couldn't even tell if she had make-up on - that's how little of it she must had used.

As I rubbed my eyes, I forgot about the girl entirely, and was overwhelmed with a feeling of dread and panic.

"No..." I muttered, checking my hand again, "No, no, no..." I started darting my eyes across the floor in search for my ring.

"I know..." the girl said, rubbing a hand across her torn jeans. "This sucks - I almost totally had her. You know she's always doing this-"

"Shut up!" I ordered, crouching down on my hands and knees and searching for the ring.

"Erm... dude?"

"Christ!" I muttered, standing back up. This couldn't be happening - it had to be here, I _had_ to find it!

"What you looking for?" She asked, putting her hands in the pockets of her zip-up.

"Apologise." I demanded. She let out a small laugh of disbelief.

"What for?"

"Knocking me over." I growled.

"It was an accident - you came out of nowhere."

"_I _came out of nowhere?" She was making it my fault? Typical - it was just the same at every other school I had been to - students that were just so certain they were better than you, they assumed everything bad that happened was my fault. "You ran into me!"

"So why were you scurrying around on the floor? Looking for your dignity?"

"I'm looking for my ring!" I half-shouted at her, checking my pockets in desperation.

"Well, I was looking for my cat." She said, shrugging carelessly. I clenched my jaw - she had made me lose my ring - it was the one thing I could not bear to lose. I just could _not_ lose it.

"Well then maybe you should just go and do that!" I shouted at her again, entering my compartment again and slumping down into the seat hopelessly. She sighed, then crouched down onto the floor, grabbing something in her hand and entering the compartment, holding out the small signet ring in her palm.

"Here's your ring back-"

I snatched the ring out of her palm, shoving it back onto my finger. Instantly, I felt relieved - my breathing evened and I let out a deep sigh. The girl shook her head with another laugh.

"You know what, I am sorry." I looked up at her, listening intently. It was as if she realized she was genuinely sorry about knocking into me.

"Really?"

"Yeah... I'm so... remorseful that you're a stuck-up arsehole."

And with that, she exited the carriage.

Yeah, I really wasn't going to stick around at this place either.

**Okay guys, I might've written a little bit more for Ardan there, but hey - I'm just getting to know your characters. Anyway, that was the prologue, and it wasn't much, it's just giving you a taste.**

**Now then, there's a forum link below to submit your students - but a few more rules.**

**\- No more Gryffindors.**

**\- I need some boys to even out the students being used.**

**No more rebellious students.**

**\- When you submit your character, try and give them genuine flaws, as this will help drive their own plotline if I choose them as a main character.**

** topic/162969/123972836/1/Hogwarts-Student-Application**

**Anyway guys, happy submitting! I'm going to try and update once a week, but I've got some coursework and revision to do so... yeah.**


	2. Our Latest Addition

**Rose - 6th Year Gryffindor**

I sat at the large table, looking up and down at how people had changed over summer. It wasn't particularly new - Belinda MacLowe was now sporting a golden tan hidden underneath her dark hair, Jimmy Recard had shaved his head and stopped shaving, revealing a thickly formed line of stubble across his chin. Franklin Costello on the Ravenclaw table had grown another foot (in height; he had not physically grown another foot on his legs).

There was a loud snigger from all four tables as we watched the first years enter the Great Hall - following them was a tall and slender boy, with a messy mop of hair atop his head. He walked with swagger accompanied by an air of confidence and self-importance - clearly a pure-blood prat - it seemed they were all dying out now, with less than twenty families in the school that were deluded enough to call themselves 'pure-blood'.

"Who'd you reckon that is?" I asked Vance Parker, who shook his head in between fits of giggles. "What's so funny?"

"His...face..." Parker wheezed out, and as I looked at the boys sharp and angular face, I saw the cause of laughter - he was carrying a heavy frown - clearly he was embarrassed of being grouped with the first years, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. I smiled at the sight of him.

"How long do you reckon he's been held back?" I muttered, before leaning onto the table, watching the sorting. A few new faces joined Gryffindor, shuffling over shyly to the roaring applauses that erupted from our table. I simply smiled in a friendly manner at them before turning back to the Sorting - all the students were waiting for the new arrival to be sorted - he was definitely a source of intrigue. Why was a boy that could be no younger than seventeen being sorted? I guess he was a transfer, but that didn't happen at Hogwarts - we did not _get_ transfers.

So why was he here?

**Cordi - 5th Year Gryffindor**

"How old do you reckon he is?" I murmured to Jackie Friday, who was sitting next to me.

"N.E.W.T level I'd say." Jackie shrugged, observing the boy. Jackie was one of my closest friends - she was in the year above me, though you'd never think it when looking at her; Jackie was barely taller than five foot, making her the better part of a foot shorter than myself.

"Why's he here?" I wondered aloud.

"Why would I know?" Jackie scoffed, turning her attention back to the sorting ceremony. I couldn't help but smirk slightly at Jackie: She was from Australia, and had that cod accent, but the more amusing feature was how she couldn't get through a conversation without scoffing, rolling her eyes or blowing up in a heated rage (that last one was never really enjoyable, as Jackie got stressed out very easily). "How were your mum and dad?"

"Unbearable." I shuddered. "Doing their whole extremist, classist bullshit through the entire summer. Yours?"

"They were alright I guess." Jackie shrugged, glancing back towards the sorting. "Caroline's traveling with her boyfriend at the moment, so I didn't see her much through summer... Thank God."

I nodded, understanding - I did not come from a large family, but Jackie came from a larger pure-blood family - the type that didn't look down their noses at others as well as having two sons and four daughters, with Jackie being the youngest. I guess I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a little bit envious about this, but Jackie was my best mate - I don't think I could ever resent her for it.

"Come on," I said, dropping my thoughts, "let's see where the guy ends up going."

**Charlie - 6th Year Slytherin**

"He's kind of lanky isn't he?"

I looked at the boy's figure... I could see where Nathaniel was coming from, but the boy wasn't skinny enough to be lanky - there was definitely a build-up of muscle on him.

"I don't know... I'd say he's more lean than lanky." I muttered. Nathaniel shot me a raised eyebrow. "What? There's a difference." I shrugged. I turned back to the boy. "I think that's the guy from the train." I said, squinting my eyes to try and see better (because apparently, that's how it works). I couldn't see, although the hair looked fairly similar - essentially, it was just a bird's nest shoved on top of his head.

Eventually, all the first years had cleared, leaving the older boy on his, awkwardly looking down at the floor.

"Lorkin, Ardan."

The large mop of hair looked up at Madame Beauregard and, with noticable disdain, walked up and sat on the rickety stool as Beauregard placed the old, patched hat on his head. I chuckled to myself - that must have been the first time the hat had actually fitted someone in centuries!

**Ardan - 6th Year**

"_Embaressed are we?_" I felt hat talk, like a second voice inside of my head. "_You hide your feelings well..._"

I tried to ignore the voice: I just wanted to get this over with...

"_There are some things are not so easily rushed._" The voice crooned quietly. "_I can see a drive here - ambition. There's brains knocking about in here too, and there's a thirst to prove yourself... but where?_"

I looked over to the table on my right, full of students in emerald robes.

"_Ah, a prospective Slytherin in our midst_?" I immediately continued to halt my thinking, trying not to engage the hat as much as possible. "_There is a sense of enterprise with you... but not one for gain._" I furrowed my brow, looking up at the hat (well, as best I could). I felt as though the hat burrowed through my head until I heard it's mental sigh. "_Interesting... this is so very interesting_." I could almost feel the hat's struggle at my placement. Did it really matter where I was placed? Why would an old hat care? I just _needed_ to be in Slytherin.

"_Well, I am at a loss..._" I mentally cursed (which was, in hindsight, probably a bad idea). "_But there is something... a small something..._" I felt all eyes fall upon me, and heard the whispers grow louder while I was sitting on the stool. I must had been up here for at least five minutes now. People were all looking at me in anticipation. Suddenly, I felt a tone of a smirk as the hat spoke to me. "_Well now,_" if the hat could grin, it definitely would have, "_isn't this ironic_?"

Ironic? How?

"_I think you'll do well in Gryffindor!_"

The last word was not just in my head - a thunderous clap came from the table on my left. I stumbled down the steps, glancing over to my right until I arrived at the end of the table in a daze.

I had to tell someone - there must had been a mistake - I'd have to tell the headmistress tomorrow and sort it out.

"Hey," I turned around to see a girl sitting there; her dark curls were tied back in a ponytail, revealing a smooth and rounded face of a relatively pretty girl, her large blue eyes staring up curiously at me, "no one's sitting here-"

"I see a place already thanks." I said, moving past her and sitting on the end, with a good couple of feet between myself and the other students.

**Jaclyn 'Jackie' Friday - 6th Year Gryffindor**

"Wow... he's an arsehole."

"I'd say he's more anti-social..." Rose murmured, still looking after the guy. Eventually she returned her focus to me. "How was Australia?"

"It was good." I nodded, swallowing some more food before speaking. "Mum and dad are practically forcing me to come home this Christmas though."

"Tell me about it." Rose rolled her eyes. "Because Ana and Jacob are going after this year, mum and dad are getting all emotional about it being our 'last year together' and stuff..."

"Gag." I replied simply before continuing to eat.

Rose and I had met in our first year, but had never really become friends until last summer, when we began to revise for our exams together. We just clicked then and there - she was the other side of my coin. I was loud and would literally tear apart anyone with my hands if I had to. I was constantly pumping with adrenaline and ready to rumble. Rose on the other hand? She was cool and confident. If someone asked her to jump, she wouldn't ask 'how high?' Instead, she'd simply sit back in her chair and put her hands behind her head. In some ways I guess I wanted that, but, then again, how boring would life be then?

"So, she's back." I looked over the tables to see the girl sitting there - the mahogany hair and fake smile.

"How the hell did _she_ pass her OWLs?" Rose sniggered at my shock.

"God knows..." I muttered. "You don't think she told anyone do you?"

"About last summer?" I nodded. Rose shook her head. "No... no, she wouldn't dare."

"I hope you're only trying to convince me." I raised an eyebrow at her.

"No, she knows what'll happen if she tells anyone."

"She better..." I growled lowly, gripping my knife as I glared across the hall at her.

"Jacks," Rose placed a hand on my shoulder and pulled my gaze from my nemesis, "we agreed this time it's going to be different than last year. No more Charlie, no more drama."

I nodded.

"I know."

**Sorry about the halt in updating guys - I've been moving around too much to even be able to charge my laptop. But, Since I'm currently waiting to board a plane in... two hours, I figured I'd post an update and search for some new stories. So, what have I been doing since I last updated?**

**Well, I was feeling impulsive, so I've taken a bit of a holiday - I'm doing a sort of backpacking thing around the world - I wish I could tell you guys more about it, but I've got a flight to board soon. I'll tell you guys all about it next update, but for now all I can say is Mexico was cool, Cuba was unbelievable, Singapore was amazing, Japan was jaw-dropping and I'll tell you how Taipei, Tibet and Tangier is in a couple of weeks time (I cannot express how excited I am)!**

**As I said before, applications are always welcome, though I cannot confirm that I will accept any of them, but I will try. So, tell me what you thought, and what scenes you'd like to see.**

**Also, any thoughts that you have on the characters would be appreciated!**


	3. Something Old, Something New

**A/N - Sorry I haven't updated in ages guys - like I said, I'm country hopping. And I am now in Roskilde, Denmark. I was here for the festival in the summer, but this place is just so awesome, I had to come back. Anyway, the city inspired me to write you guys another chapter. I'm on the plane for a couple of hours, so I should have time to write some more to upload when I touch down in Madrid.**

**Anyway, I've been talking way too much about my travels - you're all waiting to read another installment - there's a couple of new characters mentioned, but you'll see that for yourself.**

**Rose - 6th Year Gryffindor**

First day of lessons was always the same - we were all eager to start lessons, with the seventh years moping around all the corridors and the first years stumbling them without a clue where they were. In a week or two, we'd all be sleeping in and missing our lessons as regularly as our messed-up-body-clock-work.

I pulled on my shirt, buttoning it up and grabbing my tie as I grabbed my _Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6_ off the top of my trunk and making my way down the stairs. At the bottom, I found Jackie, standing there in a fairly dumb-struck manner. I approached her cautiously - I had never seen her speechless before.

"How long have you been standing here for?"

She remained still and quiet - two characteristics no-one could associate with Jaclyn Friday. I raised my hand and closed her mouth for her, alerting her to my presence. She glanced at me, and then threw a hate-filled finger at the couch by the fire.

"Look!" She hissed angrily. I looked over to see our latest sixth year lounging on the couch, legs kicked up over the arms as he flicked through a book. "He's in my spot..." Jackie growled lowly, her voice dark and lusting for vengeance.

"Jackie, remember what Professor Longbottom said - it's not just your spot-"

"It's _my_ spot!" She growled, marching past me and thundering over to the boy on the sofa. Jackie stood above the boy, glaring down at him until he returned her menacing gaze.

"What do you think you're doing?"

The boy hesitated, looking back to magazine.

"Reading..." He spoke slowly, narrowing his eyes as he examined Jackie's features.

"And _why _are you reading _here_?" She was bright red, and jet of steam were bound to fire out of her ears in a moment.

"...because the floor's not that comfy-"

"Jackie," I moved forwards, grabbing Jackie's arm so she could not reach for her wand, "come on, we've got Potions."

And with that, I pulled Jackie out of the common room and away from another potential detention and loss of house points.

**Donovan 'Donny' O'Toole - 7th Year Ravenclaw**

I couldn't help but carry on grinning at the fifth year girl who sat a little further on down the table in the Great Hall. She was definitely pretty - a set of dark, deep honey-filled eyes. Not to mention her other 'assets'.

"Y'all right Donny?"

I turned around to see Megan McMotte standing there, hand on hip. I gave her my signature smirk and turned around, leaning backwards on the table.

"Morning Meg." I said, eyeing her up from toes to teeth. "How you been?"

"Not too bad." She said, playing with her hair - Megan was the sort of girl who would spend hours on her hair and make-up, but deny doing it... ever. Just like she was the sort of girl who would do everything possible to hint to a guy that she's interested, but she'd never say it - one of those girls that were too scared of coming off as 'easy'. In my extensive experience, those were the girls that were actually the easiest.

I glanced back to the girl down the table, who had turned her attention back to her work. Megan, however, saw my glance.

"What are you doing staring at the Valentine girl?" Megan asked, immediately stung.

"Why'd you care?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the younger girl. "Feeling left out?" I turned back to Megan, who stood there uncertainly for a few moments before walking away. I chuckled to myself and then pushed myself off of the table and began to swagger out of the hall. On my way, I felt something collide into my chest.

A girl stood in front of me, clad in canary-yellow robes.

"Hey Lara," I smiled at the seventh year Hufflepuff, "haven't seen you in a while..." I began to brush her hair behind her ear, when she was pulled aside by her twin brother, Lars.

"Maybe she was too busy getting herself tested to contact you." Lars pulled Lara away from me, shooting me a look - y'know that look that basically means 'you're scum'? Well, I pulled out my wand and threw a hex onto him - his hands suddenly flew to the insides of his thighs, and he hunched over, unable to stop himself stuttering and his jaw shaking. I grinned at my handiwork as several pockets of students in the hall began to laugh.

I slipped my wand back into my pocket and turned around to walk away... directly into Professor Romley.

**Charlie - 6th Year Slytherin**

The first day back - I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a tiny bit excited. I mean, it had been pretty dreary over the holidays - Peter was only in his second year and didn't take quickly to Quidditch, so it was just me and Adam tackling a tattered old quaffle off each other. At least now the Quidditch matches would start again. Euri Holt, in the year above, was still yet to think about try-outs, and I didn't want to get black-listed for bugging her about it, so I tried to push the thought from my mind as much as possible.

I pulled out my timetable, examining my first lesson - potions.

I simply slung the my satchel over my shoulder and made my way through the bustling corridors of lost first-years until I came to the staircase that wound around towards the dungeons.

I swiftly passed through the heavy door and saw the class was already there, taking their seats and catching up.

I scanned the room, acknowledging the complete lack of Slytherins in the class. I finally locked eye contact with Rose, who was sitting with Jackie. I bit my lip, grabbing my bag tightly as I made my way over towards them.

"Hi," I said timidly, testing the waters - it was evident in Rose's silence and Jackie's glare that they still hated me. "So, how were the holidays?"

"What do you want Charlie?" Rose spoke without even looking at me.

"I..." I paused - I didn't know what I wanted. I suppose I wanted to know how she felt - how her family was, and how Jackie's holiday in Australia was. "I wanted to see if you were alright-"

"Didn't know you cared." Rose scoffed.

"I've said sorry a million times Rose." I said earnestly. "I didn't mean for it to end up like this, it just... I don't know what happened." I couldn't find any more words. "I'm sorry-"

"Screw you." Jackie stared daggers at me, and continued to do so until I moved to the back of the classroom to sit on my own.

Professor Cutmore proceeded to teach the class about several elixirs and outline the course to us. No sooner than twenty minutes later, when we began to set up our cauldrons, did the door creak open once again.

**Ardan - 6th Year Gryffindor**

The classroom was full of students already - they had their cauldrons set up and were already assembling their ingredients on the tables. I looked at their spindly and crooked teacher, who examined me peculiarly.

"Can I help you Mr...?" He spoke with a sharp edge to his tone.

"Yeah, I'm meant to have Potions class with..." I check the timetable, "Professor Cutmore?" He nodded.

"You must be the new arrival Professor McGonagall informed me of this morning. How do you do?" He approached me, slipping out his hand, which I shook softly - afraid I'd snap his hand off. "You can borrow some equipment from the cupboard - just take a place next to..." He pointed at the girl in emerald robes, clicking his fingers as he closed his eyes, concentrating.

"Charlie." The girl spoke.

"Charlie- Charlotte. Yes - if you will?" I casually strolled over to the table, putting my bag down beside the table before reading the assignment on the board. No sooner had I read the date than I had heard the Slytherin student next to me groan. I turned to see it to be one of the worst people I had met so far.

"Oh. It's you." She stated in disappointment. It was the girl from the train - the one who had tackled me out of the blue.

"The feeling's mutual." I informed her as I began to prepare my ingredients. I looked up at the assignment on the board - it seemed easy enough - Kingsmont insisted on all their students being star potioneers. This class wouldn't seem to serve much purpose after all. I waited until Cutmore had his back turned and then I picked up my bag and walked back out of the classroom.

I made my way up the stairs, missing a few at a time and managed to find my way to the Gryffindor dormitories, where I flung my bag down on my trunk at the foot of my bed. I pulled a book out of it and began to flick through the pages. My next lesson was only Charms at fourth period.

**Hope you guys enjoyed!**

**Thoughts on:**

**Rose**

**Jackie**

**Donovan**

**Charlie**

**Ardan**

**Cordi**

**Potential scenes you'd like to see.**

**Favourite Character you've seen so far and why.**

**Things to improve on (I know my chapters tend to be short and can be a bit flat at times, but I'm trying hard to improve that).**


	4. Boys and Girls

**I'm so so sorry this took me ages to update - I've been at university (where I'm studying Creative Writing) and it's been keeping me really busy. Anyway, I've read your feedback and this chapter revolves around a couple of students with less perspective changes. It's also over 2,000 long so enjoy!**

**Holger Jackson 'Jack' Thomas - 7th Year - Hufflepuff**

Out of all the subjects I studied, History of Magic was not my most favourite. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think it's amazing to get the real version of the Salem Witch Trials, but it wasn't as practical as some of the other subjects. I mean, comparing this to blocking hexes in Defense Against the Dark Arts made it seem really tedious.

I often spent the lunchtimes like this - sitting in an empty classroom, working. I mean, the dormitories were always too loud to study, the library never has an empty seat because of all the noise from the dormitories, and it was beginning to get cold, meaning I couldn't study outside.

The door banged open, and I saw Professor Romley march in, pulling one of my classmates, Donovan O'Toole, in by the ear. He led Donovan over to a chair behind a desk and dropped him down into it.

"You will stay here until the end of break," he informed him angrily. He then looked over to me. "Thomas!"

"Yes sir?"

"Don't let him get out of this chair," Romley drifted his gaze back towards Donovan, "or I will have to tie him to it."

Romley maintained his glare at Donovan, who simply smirked back, leaning back in his chair and placing his feet on the desk. Eventually, Romley snapped around with a growl and exited the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Donovan remained leaning in his chair for a moment - then he saw me.

"Thomas?" He asked slowly. "Right? Hogarth Thomas?"

"Holger," I corrected him, "I prefer Jack." I said, looking back down to my work. In less than a moment, Donovan scoffed, and therefore demanded my attention.

"Jack?" He scoffed once more.

"Yes?"

"Why the hell would you call yourself Jack?"

"Because 'Holger' is a terrible name-"

"No, everyone knows that, by why 'Jack'? I mean, why not Donovan?"

"Well, my middle name's Jackson..."

At that moment, Donovan sat down again. This was purely because of how much he was laughing - his legs seemed to give out as he cackled loudly, and he clutched the corner of the desk to keep himself from rolling around onto the floor.

"What?" I asked him, getting slightly frustrated.

"That's got to be the dumbest reason for a nickname that I've ever heard!" He gasped between fits of laughter. I shook my head.

"At least it's better than 'Donny'..." I muttered under my breath.

Donovan immediately stopped laughing, and sat perfectly still, his eyes tracking my movements like a trained killer. I tried not to show my body tensing up, and kept my eyes down on my book. However, I didn't need to look at Donovan to tell he had his signature smirk plastered across his stupid face.

"Ooh, snappy comeback _Headboy_!" He sneered, grabbing the badge from my chest and holding it up in the light for examination. I immediately jumped up from my chair, reaching out for my badge.

"Give it back here-"

"Come on! I just want to see why McGonagall named you a _Head_boy!

"Shut up Dono-"

"Why'd she make you a prefect too?" He grinned, snatching the other badge off of my chest. "Come on Hogarth!"

"It's Holger you dumb-"

"Okay _Holger_!"

"What the hell is happening here?"

We both looked back to the door to see Professor Helter standing there.

Professor Helter was a peculiar woman; In her late thirties, and always clad in a set of royal purple robes, Professor Helter always appeared regal, especially with her hair curling down in golden spirals which would bounce up and down hypnotically as she stormed towards you - she would often lose her temper without any rational reason, and then unleash her rage upon the nearest standing pupil.

"I was examining his badge about head." Donovan said innocently.

I snatched my badges from Donovan, pinning them back onto my robes. Professor Helter simply glared at Donovan before speaking once more. And now,

"Twenty points from... Ravenclaw." She paused to double-check his azure robes.

"Twenty?" Donovan asked, cocking his head to the side.

"For blatant disrespect." Professor Helter spoke curtly.

"For Holger or...?"

"Jack!" I snarled under my breath.

"Thirty." She smiled her tight-lipped smile. "James!" In a moment, Professor Romley had appeared once again in the room. "Control your detainees." And Professor Helter had marched out of the classroom.

"Thomas, I thought I told you to make sure he didn't leave his chair!"

"Sir, I... he-"

"Don't blame Holger sir - I got restless is all." He said with a wink.

"Shut up O'Toole," Professor Romley snapped, casting his dark gaze towards me, "I expected better from you Thomas. Ten points from Hufflepuff."

"What? Why?" I began to splutter, completely flabbergasted.

"For disobeying a teacher."

"But that's unfair!"

"Get used to it Thomas. Now you'll watch O'Toole, or you'll have to explain to the rest of your house how you managed to lose so many points in a few short minutes."

I opened my mouth to reply, but thought better of it - talking wouldn't help me at all - I just had to bite my tongue and bear it.

"Good boy," Professor Romley said once I closed my mouth, "maybe you'll learn something after all."

And with that, Professor Romley exited.

I clenched my fists, shooting a look at Donovan - he had made me lose ten points for no good reason - I had only been taught by Professor Romley once - when he arrived in my fifth year as I was finishing my O.W.L in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He was never a nice man, but he was never this bad - not to me at least.

"In case you were wondering," Donovan leant over from his chair, "Romley's a dick to everyone."

"I'm not talking to you," I tried to ignore him, and focused on my book.

"Aw, come on princess - I'm sorry," Donovan gave a toothy grin. Idiot. "What if I plait your hair?"

I looked over to see him taking out his wand.

"Can you just _not_ act like an arsehole for once? You can screw over your own house all you like, but I'm really busy here."

"Hogarth!" Donovan gasped sarcastically. "The _Headboy_ being _selfish_?"

"I'm not being selfish-" I began to explain, then caught myself. No, he was trying to goad me into talking, but I wasn't falling for it. "You know what, I'm just going to finish my book, then I'm leaving.

"It's a detention, you can't leave." Donovan snorted.

"I'm not in detention, I'm revising." I replied curtly. Donovan burst out in hysterics once more, this time, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

"You mean... you mean you're here... at lunchtime... revising?"

"Are you having trouble with putting a sentence together?"

"Well, someone's a little grouchy..." Donovan replied, settling into his chair.

I shook my head with a groan and tried to tune out Donovan's voice as I began to pack up my bags for my next lesson.

**Aurora 'Rora' Valentine - 5th Year Ravenclaw**

I came out of potions with a headache, a groan, and worryingly low morale.

"Hey, hey, Rora!" I turned around to see Cordelia Caverly running out from the classroom after me. Cordelia was taller, thinner and definitely prettier than I - I didn't desire her family though - pureblood elitists weren't really that fond of muggle-borns.

"Hey." I mumbled back, rubbing my temples.

"I just wanted to say sorry again - I'm sure Professor Cutmore said to include Beetroot..." Cordelia bit her lip in worry.

"It's fine, really." I said, closing my eyes. "I just need to sit down for a bit." I smiled politely. I began to walk up the stairs to make my way to Great Hall when I noticed Cordelia walking beside me.

"So, you trying out for the team this year?" She asked me with a dazzling smile.

"Quidditch?" I asked with a scoff. "No... Quidditch isn't really my thing..."

"How can Quidditch not be your thing? _Everyone_'s into it."

"Just never really been that fond of it." I shrugged.

"Well, what are you fond of?" Cordelia asked - paying attention. It shocked me - why would she pay attention?

"Erm..." I struggled to find my words. "Choir."

Cordelia sniggered in response for a moment, then stopped, staring at me sadly.

"Oh, you were being serious..."

I stopped walking as we came to the top of the staircase.

"Look, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but we've never spoken... ever." Cordelia cocked her head to the side with intrigue. "Like, for the past four years."

"So?"

"So... this just feels a bit forced. I mean, you're Cordelia Caverly - you're practically royalty."

"Okay, first off, I prefer Cordi: less of a mouthful, and secondly, I just wanted to chat was all." Cordi shrugged. "Sorry if I crossed a boundary or something."

And before I could say any more, she had disappeared down the corridor, leaving me alone with a heavy feeling of guilt. I knew I had come off quite rude to her, but I didn't mean to be - I simply just... well, I guess I didn't understand why she suddenly decided to talk to me. I was just... me.

I walked into the Great Hall and placed my bag on the table, pulling out an ink jar and my textbook to double-check my notes. I reached into my bag for my quill and pulled it out with a bit too much of a jerk, splitting the nib into fragments. I cursed under my breath and rubbed my temples. This was all I needed - I couldn't ask my dad for another quill - every coin he earned went towards my supplies for school, and after saving up to buy me new robes this year, I couldn't ask him for more. I'd just have to attempt some repair charms, which were never really my strong suit...

"Are you alright?"

I looked up to see a broad-chested boy, sandy brown hair falling in straight clumps over a pair of dark ebony eyes. He swept a hand across his forehead, sweeping back the hair to see me more clearly, and in doing so, revealed a pair of sharp cheekbones, his skin taught as it wrapped around a strong jaw. There was something familiar about him - I couldn't place him, but I knew I had met him before...

I realized I must have been staring, since he pointed at my quill with a slightly awkward expression on his face.

"Your quill? It's... it's broken..."

I looked down at the quill and then back to him, snapping myself out of my daze with a shake of my head.

"Yeah... Yeah. I- I can be a little heavy-handed at times." I said with an embarrassed chuckle. He returned my smile and stretched out a hand.

"Dan."

I stretched out a hand and shook it.

"Rora."

He sat down next to me. I was certain I knew him, but I just...

"Why don't you repair it?"

"I'm kind of crappy with repairs," I confessed, "and I don't have any tape-"

"No, I meant with a charm." Dan stated. "It's easy enough."

"Yeah..." I scratched the back of my head, going slightly red at trying to explain that I found first-year charms still a bit iffy, "charms aren't really my strong suit..."

"Allow me." He said with a smile, pulling out his wand.

In one fluid flourish of his wand, the fragments of my quill slipped back together, as good as new. I looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

"You can do spells non-verbally?" I asked, genuinely impressed.

"You can't?" I felt embarrassment once again, and picked up my quill, dipping it in the ink. "Sorry... I didn't mean to offend you."

"No, I just..." I rubbed my eyes, "I've got a bit of a headache. I haven't really slept all that well."

Dan's smile was dazzling for sure - his teeth weren't exactly straight, nor were they the whitest, but his eyes were deep. They were warm. And he was... well... he was nice.

"Have I got something on my teeth?" He asked, his smile fading as he narrowed his eyes. Of course - I was staring again.

"Sorry." I looked down at my notes, trying to distract myself. "I just... I thought I recognized you." Dan cocked his head to the side with a grin. Suddenly, a clue popped into my head. "Palm!" I half-shouted. "You're Daniel Palm right?"

His grin vanished, and his lips turn into a strained frown.

"Don't break your quill again."

And with that, he upped and vanished into the crowds of the Great Hall, who were all arriving from lessons and sorting themselves into study groups or friendship circles around the tables. I groaned, turning back to my textbook. That was two people I'd offended in the space of twenty minutes. I really wasn't the best at talking today. Or any other day. I guess I just wasn't the best at talking in general - I often scared people off from being too loud or too blunt. I preferred potions - it was easy. Put in the right amount, stir, add _x_ quantity of _y_ and mix in granulated _z_. With people... it just got more complicated. And so I simply sighed, and started to write once more.


	5. Broomsticks and Breakfast

**So, this took me the better part of three hours to write, and I've been planning it for a while. I've decided I'm going to adopt this style for most chapters - a chapter set primarily from one character's POV, then a little snapshot of someone different at the end.**

**Ardan - 6th Year Gryffindor**

I stood on the Quidditch pitch with my hands stuffed into my hoodie as I watched mounds of students fight amongst each other, trying to kill each other over the faster brooms. I simply stood at the back, with an arm looped around my own broom.

"Alright, oi! Oi! Calm down - you're going to break them!" A voice called from the entrance of the pitch. The voice belonged to a boy who looked very familiar - with cropped mahogany hair and a muscular, broad frame. He walked across the pitch, dropping an assortment of padding onto the pitch which everyone eyed, ready to grab the pieces that didn't stink of five-year-old-sweat.

"I'm Adam, Keeper and Captain of Gryffindor," Adam quickly nodded his thanks to his friend, who handed him his broom, "and I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you're all here for try-outs?"

There was a small chuckle amongst the crowds.

"Okay, well, line up. Chasers on the left, Beaters in the middle and Seekers on the right." Adam instructed us, gesturing for three columns. I waited for everyone to line up before making my way to my right, standing between four boys. "Alright, we're going to have a mock game now. So, everyone sort yourself into standard teams."

Everyone began to call each other's names as I looked around. In a very short amount of time, two teams were formed, and I stood next to a very scrawny second year, and sighed deeply - of course I wasn't going to be the first pick - I didn't know anyone.

"Alright, I guess we could have you guys double up as keepers for half the match." Adam smiled. "You," Adam nodded at me while pulling on his gloves, "what's your name?"

"Ardan."

"Alright Ardan, you know Jackie right?"

I looked over to the shorter girl he had nodded towards, and recognised her immediately. With her ebony curls tied back into one tight ponytail that allowed her hair to fall through the hairband like vines, curling out wildly in every direction. She narrowed her eyes at me in contempt.

"We've met Ardin." She growled.

"_Ardan_." I corrected her.

"...Whatever!" She snarled, glaring.

I walked over to her crowd and shot up into the air with them on my own broom.

"Alright," said one boy, "Let's give everyone a fair run at this. Ardan, you're going for Seeker right?" I nodded. "Okay, would you be alright with going at Keeper for the first... fifteen minutes of the game?" I shrugged in response. "Jackie, you've got fifteen minutes to find the Snitch."

"What?" Jackie's face scrunched up in confusion as she leaned forwards. "Jacob, I'm not playing as a Keeper - I was seeker last year-"

"Ardan wasn't at try-outs last year was he?" Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Come on - we're just giving everyone a fair chance. I nodded as Jacob outlined his plans for the game, not really listening as he described all his tactics and strategies. Eventually we broke apart and I floated towards the hoops on the left of the pitch, rolling up my sleeves and making sure I had emptied my pockets.

Adam made his way up on a broom and launched the quaffle in the air.

I had to admit, the start of the game was pretty terrible. Half the people there probably hadn't even ridden a broom before by the looks of it. I noticed Jackie soaring high in the sky, circling the arena, and staying close to the other Seeker - presumably she was wary of him seeing the snitch before her.

"Oi!" I looked back to see a tall, red-headed girl speeding towards me on a broom, and then launching the quaffle at my head. I ducked quickly, grabbing my broom to steady myself. Cursing mentally, I soared down to grab the quaffle, then hovered in front of the hoops again. I looked towards Jacob, who smiled reassuringly. With another quick glance at Jackie, I tossed the quaffle to Jacob, who sped off towards the other end of the pitch.

I missed one more shot, going the complete opposite direction as the chaser sped up directly in front of me. However, I saved a couple of stray shots. Besides, I wasn't even trying to be a Keeper - the team already had one of them.

It took Jackie five minutes to spot the snitch, only to lose sight of it when the other seeker latched onto her ankle in a desperate attempt to stop her. One foul and broken nose later, both sides had a penalty shot. Jacob was the chosen Chaser for us, who scored. Sadly, this victory was short lived as the red-headed girl from before threw the quaffle, and though I caught it, my hand was behind the hoop.

Ten minutes later, Jackie gripped the Snitch proudly in her hand as she made a leap off her broom, landing on the ground from a ten foot drop. She gave it to Adam to release again, and hovered over towards me.

"See if you can beat that." She grinned. "That," she pointed at my broom, "won't help."

"Are you always this much of a bitch?" I asked, looking around to see if the new game had started yet.

"When someone's trying to steal my spot on the team?" She snarled.

"I ain't trying to steal anything." I half-laughed at the absurdity of her question.

"Just shake my hand and get on with it." She held out her hand, staring daggers at me. I grasped her gloved hand, shaking it once as she locked eyes with me, leaning in, "This is my team. You're not taking it from me."

I wrenched my hand back from her vice-like grip and drifted towards the centre of the pitch.

As soon as the quaffle was launched, I shot up into the air, three times the speed of the other seeker. This was of course due to his crummy old school broomstick.

I began to circle the pitch, my eyes darting around as I searched for the slightest flash of gold.

I caught a glint, and shot down towards one of the chasers, investigating her ear. However, when I was five feet away, I realised it was just her earring, and so I pulled back up into the sky.

It was over ten minutes, as I conducted another lap of the stadium, that I saw the other Seeker raise a hand to stop the sun from getting into his eyes. As he did so, I saw a gleam of gold flicker underneath him.

I urged my broom to go and bulleted forwards, gripping onto my broom tightly as I tried to see through the hair that was being pushed into my eyes.

I darted past the other seeker and towards the Snitch, which was moving fairly slowly. However, as I reached out my hand, I noticed something.

My ring.

I stopped in mid-air, checking my hand, unsure of what had happened. Where had it gone? I couldn't have dropped it. Oh God, what if I dropped it? What if I never found it.

I felt the other seeker rush past me as I pushed my hair back, holding my forehead in utter panic. I could feel my heart starting to clap in my throat. I looked back around the pitch, and my eyes found Jackie, who sat on her broom with a vindictive grin. And then I slaw a glint of silver. Before I could work out what it was, I saw her throw the glint off towards the edge of the stadium.

I lurched forwards on my broom, propelling myself across the stadium. I swept underneath a Chaser who dove for the quaffle and then pulled into a dive, hurtling towards the small glint of silver. I stretched out my hand as I heard shouts from around me, but as soon as I felt my palm graze the ring, I snapped my hand shut and pulled with my broom gently coming out of my arc less than a foot off the ground.

I frantically shoved the ring back onto my finger, closing my eyes and sighing in relief as my heartbeat dropped back down to it's regular pace. It appeared as though the game had stopped, and I felt all eyes on me.

Adam looked at me, mouth slightly agape. He then turned around to everyone.

"That's all for today! You," He pointed at me, "I want to talk to you."

**Cordelia - 5th Year Gryffindor**

No one was happy when try-outs had ended an hour and a half earlier than expected. We had spent two weeks anticipating them, and Adam James was not on the ball when it came to booking the pitch for practice. We were already behind because he insisted on calling an end to practice after a mere half hour.

It obviously had something to do with Ardan - Adam wanted to make him Seeker. Anyone could see it. And that meant Jackie would not be in a good mood when it would be made official...

I shrugged off the thought as I arrived back at my dorms, changing out of my practice clothes and slipping on a skirt and t-shirt before making my way down to the Great Hall to see if I could catch some breakfast before everyone left to socialise - no one studied in the first month of the school year.

I dropped down onto a bench beside a metre away from some first years, and began to grab some toast. As I bit into my first piece, I noticed someone observing me from across on the Ravenclaw table. Rora quickly dropped her gaze back to her pumpkin juice, and didn't look at me again.

Honestly, it made me sad. Rora seemed like a lovely girl, and I felt a bit like I was blown off by her. In the past couple of years, I had been pretty certain I liked girls, but I was yet to actually date one. And Rora was pretty... her body wasn't bad either...

But more than anything, I just wanted another friend.

"Hello Cordi," I looked up to see my favourite hufflepuff sit down opposite me, pouring himself a cup of coffee, "how are you?"

"I'm okay thanks Dan. How are you? How are your English lessons going?"

"Quite good." He smiled. "I can... carry? Carry... I can carry a good conversation."

"Not bad." I said, giving him a small applause. "You're learning more colloquialisms." He narrowed his eyes - something he did when he was puzzled. "Like, informal ways of talking." I explained.

He nodded in understanding.

"Hey, you know that girl in my year?" I asked, nodding over towards Rora.

"Aurora? Yes, she seems very nice."

"Do you know if she's..." I jerked my head, only to see Dan narrow his eyes again.

"If she's what?"

"You know... like me?"

"If she likes you?"

"No- well, kind of- no, I meant..." I took a breath to try and communicate clearly, "Does she date girls?" Dan simply grinned as he turned back around to look at her.

"I hope not." He said as he faced me again.

"Maybe she does both?"

"Boys and girls?" He asked, weighing it up in his head. "I don't know."

"You're a boy - you don't know a lot of things." I commented, taking another bite of my toast.

"Pardon?" He narrowed his eyes again.

"Don't worry, it was a joke Dan." I smiled reassuringly.

**I hope you guys enjoyed it! Let me know what you think about:**

**Ardan and his attachment to his ring**

**Who you want to see more of in the story?**

**Any Criticism**

**Any ideal scenes you want to see**

**Who is your least favourite?**


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